Abstract: A disposable surgical kit for use with a lavage instrument provides a three dimensional enclosure to capture splash back and aerosols created by the procedure. The kit has a transparent surgical drape to be fitted to a lavage instrument. The drape has an opening for manual access to the wound. A drain receptacle with an absorbent pad is provided to trap the effluvia.

Abstract: A device and method for collecting distension media or other fluids discharged during surgical procedures is shown. Also shown is a method for reducing the risk of hyponatremia. The apparatus makes it practical to determine the amount of distension media retained by a patient during hysteroscopic or other surgical procedures, particularly procedures using non-isotonic distension media during monopolar electrosurgery. The apparatus and methods are also useful during a variety of laparoscopic, obstetric, cardiovascular, liposuction, plastic, orthopedic, restorative, and other procedures.

Abstract: A disposable drape for use in covering dual-tier surgical carts used in hospital operating rooms. The drape is adapted to be placed upon both shelves of a surgical or medical cart having two shelves—an auxiliary shelf situated above a larger main shelf or table. The drape is intended to be sterile, and is provided with absorbent surfaces at locations corresponding to the tup surfaces of the cart's shelves when the drape is properly installed upon the cart. The drape is seamless. Pull tabes are provided to aid in the installation of the drape upon a cart without compromising drape sterility.

Abstract: A sterile surgical drape is adapted to cover the surfaces of a multiple-tiered table such as is typically used for holding surgical instruments. Those drape sections (300,400) for covering surfaces above the bottom surface (200) are fitted so as to avoid impeding access to and visibility of those surfaces immediately beneath. Clear sections (300) of the drape are provided to extend between tiers for improved visualization from behind the table. Cuffs in the flap top section of the drape (410) are also provided for aiding handling and draping of surgical table by hospital personnel. Hook-and-loop fasteners (310) on the back of the clear middle section (300) are provided to be mated to hook-and-loop fasteners (312) on the under portion of the instrument table.

Abstract: An incise drape suitable for use in surgical procedures. The drape comprises a substantially transparent flexible film that has at least a portion of one major surface coated or covered with a pressure sensitive adhesive, and a two liners removably covering the adhesive. Each liner has a handle spaced from the opposite side edges of the film, and a body portion attached to the handle. The body portion of each liner extends along the adhesive from handle in the direction away from the other liner. The drape is repeatedly folded over from the opposite side edges of the film toward the handles so that the drape may be unfolded and the adhesive exposed by pulling the handles apart.

Abstract: A sheet drape is folded first in one direction into a multilayer strip of material and then in the orthogonal direction into a stack with a first end of the multilayer length located on top of the stack and the second end located within the stack. The drape is unfolded by pulling the first end of the multilayer length in a first direction, to reveal the second end; pulling the second end in the second, opposite, direction (thereby returning to the form of the multilayer strip); and then opening the folds of the multilayer strip.

Abstract: A novel garment package and a novel method of forming a sterile garment package to facilitate donning of a garment by a wearer is disclosed in the present invention. The method of forming the garment package may be used to fold a sleeve, a shoe cover, a hood, a coverall or other like garments. The method is performed by laying the garment on a surface in a flattened condition with the exterior surface of the garment exposed; cuffing a portion of the garment around the opening to expose a portion of the interior surface of the garment while leaving a portion of the exterior surface of said garment exposed; and, at least one time, folding the cuffed portion of the garment over onto the exposed portion of the exterior surface. Thereafter, the cuffed and folded may be placed in a bag and the bag is sealed. To don the garment, the wearer solely grasps and handles the garment by the exposed interior surface and prevents the garment from contacting the floor.

Abstract: The surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence is disclosed. The disclosed methods include: 1) a technique of probe passage to avoid injuring the bladder and to provide a more accurate and reproducible capture of the pubocervical fascia lateral to the bladder neck and urethra, 2) anchor fixation of the suspending sutures to the pubic bone to decrease the risk of suture pull through from above and to decrease post-operative pain and 3) a simple and reproducible technique to set a limited tension of the suspending sutures. A description of these methods and results of procedures with some of these methods are disclosed. Novel drill guides, suture passers, suture tensioners, and various related tools and devices for use in the surgical method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for use in collecting fluids discharged from a patient and liquids used in various types of medical procedures. The apparatus includes a fluid control pad formed from multiple layers of material and one or more pouches attached to the pad. A first layer of film, or backup sheet, is preferably formed from liquid impervious material such as coextruded low density polyethylene and ethyl vinyl acetate polymers. A portion of the backup sheet is covered with a second layer of superabsorbent material and a top layer of cover stock. The first layer of film may be folded to provided pouches disposed longitudinally on opposite sides of the second layer of superabsorbent material. A strip of fiber reinforced porous web type material may be disposed in the opening to each pouch to assist in directing excess fluids from the second layer of superabsorbent material into the associated pouch.

Abstract: A cover sheet for medical tables, beds or gurneys comprises a sheet formed from a high tensile strength, plastic with opposed ends of the sheet folded and seamed to provide pockets. The pockets are inverted for assemblage over the ends of the medical tables, beds or gurneys. Methods of continuously fabricating such cover sheets from a roll of plastic material are also disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical drape for receiving a limb of a patient includes a base sheet having an opening and a passageway extending between the opening and an edge of the base sheet, an elasticized cuff having a central fenestration applied over the opening in the base sheet and attached to the base sheet about the opening in the base sheet, and a separation defined in the cuff extending between the central fenestration and an edge of the cuff and being longitudinally aligned with the passageway of the base sheet for permitting wrapping of the drape around the limb to isolate and form a seal around at least a portion of the limb through the central fenestration of the cuff. The drape may also include a liquid gathering pouch attached to the base sheet and surrounding the cuff and having a layer separate from the base sheet and the cuff to form a pocket therebetween and an opening surrounding the cuff for receiving liquid therein.

Abstract: A surgical pack which is prefolded and packaged with the drape cover material necessary to create a sterile operating area for neurosurgery. The neurosurgical drape pack contains the normal table cover sheet, split sheet, craniotomy incise sheet and may include an absorbent drape all assembled, sterilized, and sealed. This package can be placed on the neurosurgery operating table where it is then opened and unfolded to specific edges of the table in preparation for the patient. Once the table is over the patient, the split sheet and craniotomy incise sheet can be positioned on the surgical incision area on the patient in only a few minutes. The drape pack provides for rapid preparation of the operating room environment and the patient thus saving many minutes of time that the patient must be anesthetized and operating personnel must wait to begin the operation. In a simple version of the drape pack only three of four drapes are packaged for easy placement and drape of the surgical site.

Abstract: Accessory devices for laparoscopic operations can be combined with a plastic receptacle 2 in such a way that an opening formed outside the abdominal wall in a cover sheet 10 can be coupled in sealing relationship with an end of the plastic receptacle 2 that can be closed or opened. The plastic receptacle 2 is in this case still located inside the abdominal space, at least in part, the opening of the plastic receptacle 2 projecting beyond the abdominal wall 4.

Abstract: A drape is shown for use by an anesthesia provided during a surgical procedure to temporarily hold accessories such as a suction instrument. The drape is adapted to be received on a patient support structure such as a hospital operating room table. The drape includes a main sheet of flexible, drapable material including a head region received beneath a patient's head having a pocket fold which defines an accessory receiving pocket. An envelope region is formed beneath the head region by folding a portion of the main sheet back upon itself. The envelope region defines a second accessory receiving pocket for the drape and further anchors the drape to the table during use. Subdivisions of the pocket folds provide smaller receptacles. Also provided are devices to adhere instruments in place and to secure the drape to its support. Additionally, methods of manufacture and use are included.

Abstract: A protective cover (16) for covering a blood-pressure cuff (10) comprises a flexible sheet defining an elongated bottom band (24), an elongated top band (30), and an intermediate portion (38) interconnecting the bottom and top bands. The bottom and top bands have widths which are substantially greater than a width of the blood-pressure cuff. A length of the bottom band is greater than a distance about an appendage (14) about which the blood-pressure cuff is to be wrapped and a length of the top band is greater than a distance about an outer surface of the blood-pressure cuff when it is wrapped about the appendage. The sheet is two-ply, having an exterior layer (18) of soft absorbent material and an interior layer (20) of more liquid impervious material. The bottom band is wrapped about the appendage, the blood-pressure cuff is wrapped about the bottom portion, and the top band is pivoted relative to the bottom band at the intermediate portion over the blood-pressure cuff and wrapped thereabout.

Abstract: A suction drape is shown for use by an anesthesia provider during a surgical procedure to temporarily hold a suction instrument. The drape is adapted to be received on a hospital operating room table and includes a main sheet of flexible, drapeable material including a head region received beneath a patient's head having a first fold which defines an accessory receiving pocket. A second fold is formed beneath the head region by folding a portion of the main sheet back upon itself. The second fold forms a second accessory receiving pocket for the drape and further anchors the drape to the table during use.

Abstract: An operating theatre patient drape system which uses a combination of hydrophilic towels and hydrophobic drape sheets to provide operating theatre linen which has a low percentage of bacteria transferred across the fabric.

Abstract: Apparatus useful in surgery for holding a patient's lower limb in a number of different positions required by a surgeon for the performance of a surgical procedure, and for eastablishing a sterile barrier between a surgical site and a patient's lower limb while the limb is being grasped by such positioning apparatus.

Abstract: A surgical drape which is configured to enable a plurality of different types of surgical drape to be manufactured on one and the same machine. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the surgical drape includes a pair of mutually similar L-shaped parts (2, 3) which are joined together at least along the inner edges of the two pairs of legs (A, B) of the L-shaped parts (2, 3). According to another embodiment, the drape includes a pair of mutually similar U-shaped parts (22, 23) which are joined together at least along the inner edges of the leg and base portions of the U-shaped parts (22, 23).

Abstract: A surgical drape having a main sheet and a fluid collection system for collecting and draining away from the site of surgery substantial quantities of irrigating liquids. The fluid collection system has a bag means and a pair of fluid directing elements portions of which are secured to the drape in spaced-apart relationship near the primary operative area and remainder portions of which are secured to portions of the periphery of the bag. In one preferred embodiment, the fluid collection system is made by suitably folding and appropriately securing a single sheet of liquid impervious material. The main sheet is preferably a nonwoven fabric. The liquid impervious sheet is preferably polyethylene. The fluid directing elements may have adhesive strips at their ends by which to secure the fluid collection system to a limb of a patient. The surgical drape may include a fenestrated region and having clipping tabs and tubing holders. The drape is particularly suited for use in arthroscopic surgery of the knee.

Abstract: A protecting and restraining apparatus for use in applying an intravenous or catheter system to an extremity of the body for substantially immobilizing the extremity while permitting continued intravenous or catheter system operation comprising: an elongated flexible sheet member adapted to be wrapped about and encompass the arm, the sheet member further comprising a main base portion and a plurality of straps integrally formed with and transversely depending from the main base portion at a marginal longitudinal edge of the main base portion, each of the straps being connected to its adjacent straps at selective points along confronting marginal transverse edges of the adjacent straps; a flexible sleeve member being pivotally attached to a first surface of the sheet member coextensively along one marginal longitudinal edge of the sleeve member so as to allow pivoting of the sleeve member toward and away from the first surface of the sheet member, the sleeve being adapted to accept and retain a stiffener membe

Abstract: An absorbent disposable cover for hospital X-ray tables and the like. The cover has a bottom layer in the form of a sheet of plastic material that is impermeable to moisture, an intermediate fluid absorbent layer that functions as a blotter that will absorb and disperse any fluid it comes in contact with, and a top layer in the form of a sheet of material of semi-permeable material that will permit the flow of fluids into the intermediate fluid absorbent layer. A pre-formed corner pocket is formed at the respective corners of the cover and adhesive pads are attached to their bottom surface for detachably securing them to the corners of a table upon which the absorbent disposable cover has been placed. The covers are folded into a compact rectangular shape and stacked in a carton having a cutout slot in its top wall.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surgical drape having a first rectangular part (A) which is intended to cover a patient and a second rectangular part (B) which is joined to the first drape part (A) and which is intended to be placed over an anaesthetist's arch. In accordance with the invention, one short side of the first drape part has formed therein a cut-out (2) in the shape of a truncated V. The second drape part (B) has formed therein a similar cut-out (2), which is formed in the center of one long side of the second drape part. The first and second drape parts are joined together along the edges of the cut-outs. The invention provides a surgical drape which can be easily manufactured by machine and which is easily managed.

Abstract: There is provided an improved surgical drape with a central sheet having at least one hole therein through which surgical procedure is to be performed. A pair of elongated pleats are formed in the central sheet along its outer edge, providing barriers to fluid which runs off from the site of surgical procedure and further directing the fluid along a portion of the central sheet so that fluid is more readily absorbed or contained. A pair of plastic sheets are connected to the central sheet on either side of the pleats.

Abstract: Apparatus useful in surgery for holding part of a patient's body such as a limb, portion of a limb, extremity organ or tissue in a number of different positions required by a surgeon for the performance of a surgical procedure, and for establishing a sterile barrier between a surgical site and a patient's limb or body part while the limb or body part is being grasped by a such positioning apparatus.

Abstract: A drape is shown for use by an anesthesia provided during a surgical procedure to temporarily hold accessories such as a suction instrument. The drape is adapted to be received on a patient support structure such as a hospital operating room table. The drape includes a main sheet of flexible, drapable material including a head region received beneath a patient's head having a pocket fold which defines an accessory receiving pocket. An envelope region is formed beneath the head region by folding a portion of the main sheet back upon itself. The envelope region defines a second accessory receiving pocket for the drape and further anchors the drape to the table during use. Subdivisions of the pocket folds provide smaller receptacles. Also provided are devices to adhere instruments in place and to secure the drape to its support. Additionally, methods of manufacture and use are included.